The Victorian Forestry Plan, aimed at ensuring the native timber industry will have enough time to adjust ahead of the phase out in 2030, has been slammed by the Federal Government. Source: Timberbiz
The Victorian Government last month announced it was strengthening the Victorian Forestry Plan, with new support for the timber industry and enhanced environmental protections as the state transitions away from native timber harvesting.
The plan has seen created to ensures critical supply chains that rely on native timber will have enough time to adjust ahead of the phase out in 2030, while supporting workers and communities through the 2024 step-down and beyond.
The State Government last month announced more than $100 million for workers, communities and businesses impacted by the 2024 step-down from native timber harvesting, which will include opt out packages and increased redundancy payments.
The new commitment to timber communities and families boosts the Government’s total investment for transition support to more than $200 million.
However, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Jonno Duniam slammed the plan, saying that if the Victorian Government really cared about timber workers it would reverse the ban on native forestry.
“(The) announcement by the Andrews’ Labor Government is just another exercise in papering over the cracks of their political and destructive decision to shut down the native forest industries,” Senator Duniam said.
“No promise from the Victorian Labor Government can replace the jobs and communities that this plan will devastate in regional areas.”
Native forestry directly employed 1600 Victorians, and when flow-on jobs were added that number went up to 4700.
“Victorian Labor need to explain to every single one of those 4700 people why they think appeasing people living in downtown Melbourne is more important than the jobs of native foresters working in regional Victoria,” Senator Duniam said.
“Victorian Labor have refused to provide any science or data behind their decision, because it doesn’t exist.
“Simply put, the Andrews’ Labor Government have made a political decision that is not based on science in order to keep their green mates happy.
“It has been made with absolutely no regard to timber workers, their families, and the regional communities that they live in.
“It will ultimately lead to demand for timber products and jobs being pushed offshore to countries where they do not care for the environment.
“Now, Victorian Labor are adding insult to injury by offering a piecemeal ‘transition’ package to the industry and claiming that they have saved the day.
“I am not fooled, and neither are any of the 4,700 people who rely on this industry for their livelihood,” he said.
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath has labelled the Andrews Government’s latest Forestry Plan announcement a farcical con, saying it’s as useful to workers and industry as a two-legged chair.
“It is typical that the Andrews Government would hold a media conference to pat itself on the back and tell taxpayers it’s spending $100 million to close a world class, sustainable Victorian industry which employs thousands of people – it’s farcical, false economy and defies any sensibility,” Ms Bath said.
“Rather than using taxpayer’s money on a forced ‘transition’, the right way for Labor to solve the state’s timber supply issue, is to reverse its ban on Victoria’s native timber industry and support timber jobs.”
During the announcement Labor flagged it would give more power to the Office of Conservation Regulator (OCR).
But Ms Bath said that on the Andrews Government’s own admission there hadn’t been a single prosecution of forestry practices in the past three years since the OCR came into being.
“Labor’s nonsense commentary about ‘strengthening’ the OCR is spin, made up to solve a non-existent problem,” she said.
“Labor’s primary concern is city votes based on green political science, not sound facts and real science.’’
Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said the changes would deliver new ways to protect wildlife while supporting the transition from native forests harvesting by 2030.
“We’re continuing to strengthen the Conservation Regulator, with new penalties and provisions enabling them to take timely and appropriate action,” she said.
